What it means to be family
by Serenayde
Summary: Well, Teddy's not having a good day, feeling like an intruder amongst the Potter's lives. But a walk with James soon settles his mind. Just a one-shot


**Sooooooooooo this idea kinda came to me randomly, Teddy is staying with the Potter's over the summer, so no he wasn't brought up by Harry well I don't know really, just at the end of the seventh book the fact that Ginny said 'he already somes around for dinner about twice a week" makes me think that he was brought up by his grandmother. But that he spent an incerdible amount of time with the Potter's, just something random, anywho kinda rushed, but ah yeah, hope you like it =]**

**Disclaimer (totally forgot it the first time round, so if any of you thought I was the Great and awesome J.K. Rowling... well I'm not, and everything is her's (except for that plot, that is mine)**

As Teddy and James were walking to the party Teddy was quiet, head down, kicking stones as he walked. James, being only seven didn't quite see that Teddy was having one of those days. Those days when the Potter's were doing something that Teddy could simply not understand or those times when they all did something or said something similar and he had to admit that he hated those times. He felt alone, no more than an intrusion. Harrry, his godfather would always make him feel better... a little better. But there was still that nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he didn't really belong.

It wasn't every day that Teddy felt like this. Most days he felt so incredibly lucky to have a family that cared about him and loved him. But today, he still felt lucky. But he wished that he didn't have to feel lucky to have the Potter's. He wished that he could be like any other kid and take his family for granted. Today, he had no family. They were dead, and he Teddy was all alone.

"Teddy? Teddy! I think we're here!" said James excitedly. This was the first birthday party that James had been to that was a sleep over. Of course he'd stayed with his cousins, but they didn't count really. James had wanted his mum to bring him, but his parents had insisted that they were both busy, that Teddy should be the one to take him. James was in the end quite pleased with the arrangement, pleased with an opportunity to show off Teddy.

James grabbed Teddy's hand and dragged him into the house. "Derrick! Derrick! I'm here!" James yelled "and look who else is here! It's my brother! Everyone this is my big brother Teddy!'

"James" Teddy quietly scolded him "I'm not your brother, you'll just confuse them"

James looked up surprised at Teddy, how could he not be his brother?

Apparently someone else thought the same as Teddy.

"Him!" said Derrick incredulously "He's not _your_ brother, don't be so silly James. You can be so silly sometimes. Don't you know? Family are supposed to look and act the same" Derrick said with a knowing look "and he doesn't look a thing like you or the rest of your family"

"He is so my brother!" James replied stubbornly

"Is not"

"Is too"

"Is not"

"Is too"

"Is not"

"Is too"

"James" Teddy muttered "just drop it kiddo, I'm gonna ditch anyhow"

'The kid was being stupid, stubborn, just like a Potter' Teddy thought bitterly. He turned to leave and once he was outside he realised that James was there walking right behind him.

"James? why aren't you at the -" Teddy began

"Why?" said James cutting him off

Teddy realised that James' 'why' wasn't in response to his question. It was a question of his own

"Why what?"

"You said you weren't my brother, don't you know what a brother is?" said James patronisingly

"I'm not an idiot James, your little friend was right, you're supposed to be like your brother, look like them, act like them. You've got it all wrong so stop" Teddy turned away from James and resumed walking

James frowned, clearly not understanding

"When Lily was born, you know, I didn't like her at first. I was a little mean you know."

Teddy grinned at the thought; poor little Lily was forced to have bright green hair for a week before Harry and Ginny could figure out what James had done to the poor thing.

"Daddy didn't get mad at me though. He had his serious face on" James tried to imitate his father by pushing imaginary glasses up the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger then folded his hands then peered over at Teddy who couldn't help but laugh.

"he said that I had read the wrong job description. He said I was supposed to be her brother. He said "James, my son, to be a big brother is a terribly important job, that you have to watch out for her and even Al too, try and make sure that nothing hurts them, and if something does, one; kick the arse of the person who did (James giggled at this) and then give them a hug and tell them that you would make sure that they were okay". James finished screwing up his face, trying to remeber those words that his daddy had told him.

'See Teddy, he didn't say that Lily had to look like me, he said I had to be like that to be a brother. And Teddy, you're really good at that. I mean I know I'm a better brother that Al, coz Al only has to look after Lily and I'm looking after Lily _and _him. But gosh Teddy, you're the bestest brother; you have all three of us to look after, and that's pretty hard' he said seriously 'If Daddy said that's what a brother is then that's what a brother is, and then that's what you are. Derrick is wrong and stupid, and I don't want to be friends with someone stupid. I'd rather be with you.'

Teddy was stunned. he didn't know what to say. He couldn't help but feel that maybe James had grasped the concept of what it meant to be a brother more than Teddy himself ever heart felt lighter than it had done for weeks.

Teddy motioned for James to climb on his back for a piggyback.

'How about we just have a Teddy and James day then? Just us brother's?"

**AN It wasn't that Ginny and Harry were being neglectful parent's not taking James to his first sleepover. They just knew that Teddy wasn't feeling a aprt of the family, and they thought a walk with James would fix it, considering how much he worshipped Teddy. And they were of cousre right. um yeah, not sure how that went, but ah hopefully you like it =] **


End file.
